Police find $1 million of marijuana inside plastic rocks

Nov. 16 (UPI) -- Police in Oregon said they discovered about $1 million worth of marijuana hidden inside plastic decorative rocks for shipment out of the state.

The Springfield Police Department said an investigation was opened about a month ago after a tipster suggested Curran Millican Manzer, 36, was growing marijuana and shipping the plants out of state from his business, Curran's Custom Taxidermy.

The department enlisted the help of Milos, the Marion County Sheriff's Office drug-sniffing K-9 officer, and obtained a search warrant after the dog alerted his handler to the presence of drugs.

The search warrant was executed Monday and police found 143 pounds of marijuana and 5 pounds of cannabis extract concealed inside plastic rocks. Police said Manzer was using the decorative rocks to conceal the marijuana so it could be shipped to a state where the plant is illegal.

"This case is reminder for investigators to leave no stone unturned when conducting such investigations," Lt. Scott McKee quipped.

Police said Manzer has a license to grow marijuana in Oregon, but shipping cannabis out of state is against the law, even when the destination state has legalized marijuana possession and use.

Manzer was booked into the Lane County Jail on charges of unlawful delivery, possession and manufacture of marijuana as well as a felony charge of laundering a monetary instrument.